- 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
- 2 onions, sliced thin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 pound linguine
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Put the pan over moderate heat. Add the onions, the thyme, the red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the linguine and toss with the bacon, onions, 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, the Parmesan, parsley, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. If the sauce seems too thick, add more of the pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.